ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Conversion of State Highways as NHs
Section 2 of the National Highways Act, 1956 inter-alia authorizes the Central Government to declare State roads as National Highways  through publication of notification in the Official Gazette. The total length of such notified NHs have been enhanced from about 91,287 km as on 31.03.2014 to about 1,32,500 km at present.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved “In-Principle” declaration of about 71,898 km length of State roads as NHs since April, 2014 subject to outcome of their Detailed Project Reports . Out of these, about 19,170 km length of State roads have been notified as NHs as per Section 2 of the National Highways Act, 1956.
The Ministry considers declaration of some State roads as NHs, through publication of notification in the Official Gazette as per Section 2 of the National Highways Act, 1956, from time to time based on requirement of connectivity, inter-se priority and availability of funds, etc. The same is also applicable for State Roads approved “In-Principle” as NHs.
The Ministry persistently follows up with State Governments for their cooperation and pro-active participation in the process of land acquisition for development of notified NHs.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Centre rushes High Level teams to Kerala and Maharashtra for supporting the States in public health interventions for COVID19 management
Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has decided to depute two high-level multi-disciplinary teams to Kerala and Maharashtra to collaborate with the State Health Authorities in instituting public health measures for COVID-19 management.
At a time when almost all States/Union Territories are showing a declining trend in number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19, Kerala and Maharashtra continue to report large number of cases. At present, these two States alone are contributing to almost 70% active COVID-19 cases in the country.
The Central team to Maharashtra comprises of experts drawn from National Center for Disease Control  and Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi. The Kerala team shall comprise of senior official from Ministry of Health & Family Welfare along with experts from Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare, Thiruvananthapuram and Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi.
The teams shall work closely with the State Health Departments, take a stock of on ground situation and recommend necessary public health interventions to contain the large number of cases being reported by these States.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Setting up of NDRF unit
Ministry of Home Affairs has approved to set up a Regional Response Centre  of National Disaster Response Force  near Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka for immediate response. For establishment of this RRC, 02 acres of land have been acquired by NDRF at Village Vennkatala, Yelahanka, Bengaluru North Taluk, Karnataka. Further Infrastructure development for this RRC at a cost of Rs. 6.49 crore has been awarded to Central Public Work Department .
This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
Historic reforms initiated in the Space sector
Private sector participation in Space activities approved
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved far reaching reforms in the Space sector aimed at boosting private sector participation in the entire range of space activities. The decision taken is in line with the long-term vision of the Prime Minister of transforming India and making the country self-reliant and technologically advanced.
India is among a handful of countries with advanced capabilities in the space sector. With these reforms, the sector will receive new energy and dynamism, to help the country leapfrog to the next stages of space activities.
This will not only result in an accelerated growth of this sector but will enable Indian Industry to be an important player in global space economy. With this, there is an opportunity for large-scale employment in the technology sector and India becoming a Global technology powerhouse.
Key Benefits:
Space sector can play a major catalytic role in the technological advancement and expansion of our Industrial base. The proposed reforms will enhance the socio-economic use of space assets and activities, including through improved access to space assets, data and facilities.
The newly created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre  will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment.
The Public Sector Enterprise ‘New Space India Limited ’ will endeavour to re-orient space activities from a ‘supply driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model, thereby ensuring optimum utilization of our space assets.
These reforms will allow ISRO to focus more on research and development activities, new technologies, exploration missions and human spaceflight programme. Some of the planetary exploration missions will also be opened up to private sector through an ‘announcement of opportunity’ mechanism.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia calls on Shri Anurag Singh Thakur
Mr. Tim Watts, Hon'ble Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia today called on Union Youth Affairs, Sports, Information and Broadcasting Minister Shri Anurag Singh Thakur today in New Delhi.
The visiting dignitary was accompanied by Mr. Barry O'Farrell AO, High Commissioner,
Ms. Louisa Bochner, Adviser to the Assistant Minister Mr. Jack Taylor, Second Secretary (Political, Australian High Commission.
Prime Minister's Office
PM pays homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Ji on his Punya Tithi
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Ji on his Punya Tithi.
The Prime Minister tweeted;
“I pay homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Ji on his Punya Tithi. We will never forget his efforts for national progress and serving the poor. Inspired by his vision, we are working round the clock to ensure the fruits of development reach the marginalised and the downtrodden.”
Ministry of Corporate Affairs
IICA successfully concludes first batch of three months Virtual Certificate Course in Research Methodology
The Valedictory Programme of the first batch of the three months virtual Certificate Course in Research Methodology conducted by Knowledge Resource Centre at Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs  was held on Wednesday. The course had started on July 7th and was conducted online via Blackboard in October. The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries and witnessed the culmination of this unique programme.
Chief Guest Shri Praveen Kumar acknowledged the corporate institution IICA's role in the research field and shared his appreciation for the feedback from the participants and the successful completion of the programme's first batch. Shri Kumar also presented digital certificates to the participants in recognising their achievements.
Prof. Sangeeta Jauhari, the Guest of Honor, Pro V C Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal, highlighted the significance of quality research in the current scenario, emphasising its value and impact.
Earlier, moderating the function, Dr. Lata Suresh, Course Director, IICA, introduced all the participants and thanked them for actively participating in the programme. Dr. Suresh also acknowledged the dedication and collective efforts of the esteemed faculty members, including Ms. Oluwatoyin Oyekenu, Dr. Santosh H, Dr. Sumit Narula, Ferdinand, Dr. Adesh Chaturvedi, and Dr. Ameer Hussain.
The students shared their positive feedback on the course, reflecting on their experiences and the knowledge they’ve gained and gathered much knowledge in the field of research methodology and writing research proposals.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all attendees, guests, faculty, and participants for their contributions and support in making the First Batch of the Certificate Course in Research Methodology a success.
Ministry of Railways
Three important ongoing projects  were discussed in the meeting
During the 34th Governing council meeting, RDSO made presentation on the status of three important ongoing projects  518 method of testing and Development of Instrumented Measuring Wheel) and 10 new project proposals. Detailed discussions were made on these during the meeting.
In the 34th meeting of the Governing Council, Chairman Railway Board Shri V. K. Yadav, who is also the Chairman of the Governing Council, was present in the meeting along with Member Traction Sri Rajesh Tiwari, Member Rolling Stock Sri Rajesh Agarwal, Member Engineering Sri. Vishvwsh Choube, Finance Commissioner Sri Vijay Kumar, Member Staff Sri Manoj Pande and AM  Sri Piyush Agarwal, DG/RDSO Sri Virendra Kumar and other Senior Officers of Rly. Board and RDSO. Member Traffic joined the meeting on Video Conference.
CRB in his address appreciated various efforts made by RDSO in recent past, particularly in the area of vendor registration procedure, which has been streamlined and made fast and transparent and totally online. He said RDSO has done good work but there is scope for improvement. He said that the need of the times is quantum jump in technology, not incremental. He stressed on increasing speeds of trains, mentioning about recently sanctioned 160 kmph upgradation project on Delhi – Howrah and Delhi Mumbai routes.
During the day, CRB also inaugurated newly commissioned Vendor Lounge, newly renovated Signal Laboratory and the renovated Badminton Hall.
Prime Minister's Office
PM hails progress in Mission Net Zero as solar capacity increases 54x in the last 9 years
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the the strides made in the direction of Mission Net Zero.
The Railways had posted on X that solar capacity increased 54x in the last 9 years. They informed that the solar power capacity commissioned till March 2014 was 3.68 MW whereas during 2014-23, 200.31 MW were commissioned.
The Prime Minister replied :
"Shows commendable progress in our commitment towards a greener future. In just 9 years, we have enhanced our capacity significantly, taking significant strides towards #MissionNetZero Carbon Emission. Let us continue this journey, ensuring a brighter and sustainable tomorrow for India."
Ministry of Defence
CONCLAVE-CUM-SYMPOSIUM ON SELF RELIANCE IN MISSILE TECHNOLOGY HELD AT VISAKHAPATNAM
The Missile Technology Conclave-cum-Symposium themed ‘Aatmanirbharta in Missile Repairs & Indigenisation Technologies ’, was organised by INS Kalinga at Samudrika Auditorium, Naval Base, Visakhapatnam on 23 Aug 23. The event was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, AVSM, NM, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command. Dr Y Srinivas Rao, DS, DG NS&M and Shri GA Srinivasa Murthy, DS, Director DRDL delivered special address during inaugural session. Papers were presented and technical talks were held by personnel from varied organisations leading to an effervescent exchange of ideas. Academia partners from Military Institute of Technology, Pune and National Research and Development Corporation , also actively engaged in the discussions, drawing vital inputs for their work.
The Symposium received an overwhelming response from viz. DRDO, PSUs, DPSUs, Indian Private Defence industries, MSMEs/ Start-ups, representatives from State Government and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers . Exhibition stalls were also set-up during the event, wherein the DRDO labs, DPSUs and private defence firms showcased their expertise and capabilities in Missile Repairs and Indigenisation.
The seminar provided and fostered a symbiotic environment for all stakeholders viz. Indian Public & Private Industries, DRDO Labs, Academia and Indian Navy in line with the Government of India's initiative - ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission. Going forward it is envisaged to benefit the Indian Navy in particular and the Armed Forces in general to minimise dependence on Foreign OEMs and also strengthen the core competencies of our Defence Industry and ultimately lead the nation towards Aatmanirbharta.
The Chief Guest congratulated all the participating agencies to have partnered in the journey towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and in making AMRIT-23 a grand success. Cmde CS Nayar, Commanding Officer, INS Kalinga delivered the vote of thanks. The exhibition stalls were also visited by naval personnel, Subject Matter Experts, local firms, technical institutes and engineering colleges.
President's Secretariat
President of India to Grace the Centenary Year Celebrations of Punjab Engineering College tomorrow
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will visit Punjab and Haryana from November 16 to 17, 2021.
On November 16, 2021, the President will grace the centenary year celebrations of the Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh.
On November 17, 2021, the President will visit Sui village in Bhiwani district of Haryana which is being developed as ‘Adarsh Gram’ by Mahadevi Parameshwaridas Jindal Charitable Trust and inaugurate the public facilities there.
EAC-PM
EAC-PM takes stock of the state of economy
Says, macro-economic fundamentals are sound
Emphasis on fiscal consolidation and strengthening reforms
The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister  had a meeting on 25th January, 2019 and took stock of the state of the economy. The Council endorsed that the macro-economic fundamentals of the economy are sound, but challenged remain, several of which are structural in nature. While the prospects for world economic growth does not look very promising, particularly in the advanced economics, there is sufficient amount of growth momentum in emerging market economies. India is not insulted from global developments. Nevertheless, India’s growth is expected to be in the 7-7.5% range in the next few years; one of the fastest in the world. However, with reforms designed to address the structural problems, growth rates can easily be enhanced by at least 1%.
Amongst the issues discussed by the EAC-PM were agricultural problem, investment trends , fiscal consolidation, interest rate management and credit and financial market issues. The Council felt that the exchange rate management of the rupee by the RBI has been sound despit4e the volatility in the price of crude oil. The good news is that oil intensity  is showing a declining trend.
There are indications that financial savings have started going up and there is credit up tick through private banks to the services sector. The reforms in the financial sector should be strengthened further building upon what the Government is already doing.
The Council felt that the challenge of insularity being seen in external trade should be reversed through supportive policy interventions because there is a positive turn in exports that are now visible. The Challenges in the agricultural sector should be addressed by looking closely at credit flows and support to employment programmes like MNREGA.
The EAC-PM strongly feels that there should be no deviation from the fiscal consolidation target and but there must be continued emphasis on social sector intervention. Amongst the challenges that need to be addressed are reforms in the agricultural sector, the MSME sector, skill development, credit issues, digital payments and the banking sector reforms. The Government and the RBI should be complimented for sound macroeconomic management, and this trend should be continued with.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Finland for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding  for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.
Benefits:
The main objectives of the Memorandum of understanding, inter alia, are:
- Establish the basis for a cooperative relationship to encourage and promote successful bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism
- Sharing data; knowledge, expertise etc. related to tourism
- Sharing experiences in making polices, regulation and standards in planning, implementation and development of tourism policy
- Facilitating the identification and expansion of joint projects, pilots and partnerships between companies and organizations through visits, meetings, workshops, co-creation sessions and site evaluations
- Exchanging best practices through workshops and study visits for experts of Finland and India on the field of cooperation
- Encouraging development of partnerships in the context of multilateral development programs and projects of international Financial Institutions, in which both Participants have common interests
Background:
. India and Finland have enjoyed a strong diplomatic and long economic relationship. The two parties now desiring to strengthen and further develop the established relationship have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism, Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Government for the Finland for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism.
2. Finland is one of the emerging inbound source market for India. In 2018, 21239 Finnish tourists visited India. The signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Finland will be instrumental in increasing arrival from this source market.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Shri Arjun Munda inaugurates the 4th EMRS National Cultural & Literary Fest and Kala Utsav- 2023, at Dehradun
Event to provide an opportunity for children and teachers of EMRS to understand and learn about cultures of different provinces of the country, fulfilling Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’: Shri Arjun Munda
The four-day event organized by NESTS to provide a national platform to showcase hidden talents of over 2000 tribal students from 22 States
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Arjun Munda inaugurated the 4th EMRS National Cultural & Literary Fest and Kala Utsav- 2023, in the presence of Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, at Dehradun on 3rd October, 2023. The event has been organized by the National Education Society for Tribal Students  under Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and hosted by Eklavya Vidyalaya Sangathan Samiti , Uttarakhand at Maharana Pratap Sports College, Dehradun.
The Eklavya Model Residential Schools  Cultural Fest provides tribal students a national platform to showcase their hidden talents in different spheres. The four-day event  this year would witness performances from over 2000 tribal students from 22 States. More than 20 events will be organized in this fest, from dance and song performances to quiz and visual arts etc. Stalls from different States have been arranged to showcase tribal cultural displays.
On the occasion, Shri Arjun Munda noted that such events provide an opportunity for children and teachers of EMRS to meet each other, understand and learn about the cultures of different provinces of the country fulfilling the vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said, “I believe that such programmes will inspire you and give you a good opportunity to know about your own culture as well as the rich traditions of the tribal communities living in different corners of the country.”
Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami highlighted diverse traditions and culture of the tribals in Uttarakhand and various government schemes run for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes in the State. During inaugural ceremony, Dr. Naval Jit Kapoor, Joint Secretary M/o Tribal Affairs and Commissioner, NESTS briefed about the EMRS scheme. The inaugural ceremony was marked with spectacular cultural performances from tribal communities of Uttarakhand and students of EMRS.
The ‘EMRS National Cultural Fest’ is the most awaited event every year for tribal students pursuing education in the EMRSs. NESTS has been running EMRSs for Scheduled Tribes across India. EMRS Scheme is one of the flagship interventions of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and was revamped in the year 2018-19 to ensure that tribal students get access to quality education in the remote tribal areas.
Prime Minister's Office
PM pays tributes to Savitribai Phule on her Jayanti
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Savitribai Phule on her Jayanti.
“I bow to the great Savitribai Phule on her Jayanti. Hers was a life devoted to the empowerment of the poor and marginalised. She gave utmost importance to education and social reform. We are deeply guided by her ideals and are working tirelessly towards fulfilling her vision”, the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister's Office
PM to visit Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh tomorrow
PM to lay Foundation Stone of Defence Corridor in Uttar Pradesh
PM to inaugurate the electrification of 297 km long section of Jhansi- Khairar section
PM to dedicate to Nation the Pahari Dam Modernization Project
Foundation stone of a project for ensured water supply to Bundelkhand to be laid by PM
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will visit Jhansi on 15 February 2019. The Prime Minister will inaugurate or lay foundation stone of various development projects in Jhansi.
PM will lay the Foundation Stone of Defence Corridor in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. To make India self-reliant in defence production Government of India had taken the decision to establish two defence corridors in the country, one at Tamil Nadu and the other in Uttar Pradesh. Jhansi is one of the six nodal points of the UP defence corridor. The Prime Minister during the UP Investors Meet held on February 2018, had announced the setting up of one such corridor in the Bundelkhand Region of UP.
PM will inaugurate the electrification of 297 km long section of Jhansi- Khairar section. Electrification will lead to faster trains, reduced carbon emissions and sustainable environment.
He will also dedicate to Nation the West- North Inter-Region Power Transmission Strengthening Project to ensure uninterrupted power supply to Western Uttar Pradesh.
PM will inaugurate Pahari Dam Modernization Project. Pahari Dam is a water storage dam situated on Dhasan river in Jhansi district.
Keeping in line with the Government’s vision of providing drinking water to all, PM will lay the Foundation Stone of Piped Water Scheme for the rural areas of Bundelkhand Region. The project is significant as it will ensure water supply to the drought prone Bundelkhand region. Foundation Stone of Jhansi City Drinking Water Scheme Phase-II under AMRUT will also be laid by the PM.
PM will lay the Foundation Stone of Coach Refurbishing Workshop in Jhansi. The facility will create employment opportunities to the Bundelkhand region.
PM will lay the foundation stone of doubling of 425 km long Jhansi-Manikpur and Bhimsen-Khairar railway lines. It will not only provide easy movement of trains but also help in the overall development of Bundelkhand region.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, earlier visited Vrindavan and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to serve the three billionth meal to underprivileged children from schools and for the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas respectively.
Ministry of Defence
SWARNIM MAITRI HALF MARATHON
To commemorate Swarnim Vijay Varsh, the Indian Navy conducted Swarnim Maitri Half Marathon in Delhi on 19 Dec under three distance categories viz 21.1 km, 10 km and 05 km. The event was flagged off in staggered manner in groups of 100s from 0615 hrs to 0730 hrs by senior Naval, Army and Airforce officers along with senior officers of main Sponsor, Bank of Baroda and Powered by Sponsors, State Bank of India and Indian Oil Corporation.
More than 3200  runners from all over India, Delhi NCR, all three Commands of Indian Navy and defence forces personnel/families participated in the event.
Dinesh Kumar , Rohit Verma  and Harsh Malik  stood first in 21.1, 10 and 05 kms categories respectively.
Arti Bardhan , Radha Singh , and Anuprati  stood first  in 21.1, 10 and 05 kms categories respectively.
ABB/VM/PS
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